Ways and Means

By Daniel Lefferts

Book Overview

** LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION 2024 FIRST NOVEL PRIZE **

A searing debut novel about a striving finance student, the line between ambition and greed, and the disordered politics of our era

" An] auspicious debut . . . a wildly entertaining drama of ambition and consequence." --Sam Sacks, WALL STREET JOURNAL

"An absolute riot...Thrilling...Lefferts's wry examination of the societal and economic shifts that led to the once unthinkable hits incredibly close to home." --Chris Murphy, VANITY FAIR

" A] sexy political thriller." --Charles Arrowsmith, WASHINGTON POST

Alistair McCabe comes to New York with a plan. Young, handsome, intelligent, and gay, he hopes to escape his Rust Belt poverty and give his mother a better life by pursuing a career in high finance.

But by the spring of 2016, Alistair's plan has come undone: His fantasy banking job has eluded him, he's mired in student debt, and in his desperation he's gone to work for an enigmatic billionaire whose ambitions turn out to be far darker than Alistair could have imagined. By the time Alistair uncovers his employer's secret, his life is in danger and he's forced to go on the run.

Meanwhile, Alistair's paramours, an older couple named Mark and Elijah, must face their own moral and financial dilemmas. Mark, nearing the end of his trust fund, takes a job with his father's mobile-home empire that forces him to confront the unsavory foundations of his family's wealth, while Elijah, a failed painter, throws in his lot with an artist-provocateur whose latest project transforms the country's political chaos into a thing of alluring, amoral beauty.

As the nation hurtles toward a breaking point, Alistair, Mark, and Elijah must band together to save one another and themselves.

Propulsive, exuberant, and profoundly observed, Ways and Means is an indelible, clear-eyed investigation of class and ambition, sex and art, and politics and power in twenty-first century America.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1419768190
• ISBN13: 9781419768194
• Release Date: February 2024
• Publisher: Abrams, Inc.
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

A Thoughtful Exploration of the Cost of Wealth

Ways and Means by Daniel Lefferts is a brilliant and compelling novel exploring the pursuit of wealth and personal integrity. In an amoral, turbocharged economy, the perception that money equates to security drives the characters, even as an internal sense of right and wrong hums beneath the surface. Lefferts' characters, primarily young, navigate life with limited options, feeling compelled to chase and hold wealth at the expense of their humanity. This relentless pursuit reflects the struggles of a generation caught in the quest for financial stability, blurring the lines between ambition and moral compromise. The author’s keen insight into their internal conflicts and societal pressures makes for a captivating read. Trouble arises when these characters begin to entertain ideals that challenge their acceptance of the status quo. Lefferts skillfully portrays this shift, highlighting the tension between financial security and personal values. The narrative poignantly comments on modern life's complexities and the ethical dilemmas tied to the pursuit of success. Ways and Means is an excellent commentary on contemporary times, offering a thought-provoking examination of wealth's cost and integrity's importance. Lefferts’ nuanced storytelling and well-drawn characters make this novel a must-read for those interested in the moral questions defining our era.